Hampton-Area Resident Eugene Johnson Honored By Virginia Credit Unions with Kirsch Lifetime Achievement Award

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Eugene W. Johnson (pictured left), a legend in Virginia's credit union movement, was honored April 27, with the James P. Kirsch Lifetime Achievement Award. Presenting the award is Rick Pillow.

HAMPTON, VA (05/25/2012)(readMedia)-- Hampton-area resident Eugene W. Johnson, a legend in Virginia's credit union movement, was honored April 27, with the James P. Kirsch Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is given by Virginia's credit unions in recognition of extraordinary service and commitment to the credit union system.

The 84-year-old Johnson was first introduced to credit unions in 1949, securing a $300 loan with the help of a co-worker, who co-signed his loan.

"Anything over $100 required a co-maker in those days, but I couldn't find anyone able to co-sign the loan, having just started at Hampton Institute. But I remember Georgia Griffin's act of kindness in co-signing that loan really touched me. That was credit union's People Helping People philosophy in action," says Johnson. "I would have walked the water before I would have ever let her pay anything on that loan."

Johnson joined the Hampton Institute credit union's supervisory committee soon after, and has been a credit union booster ever since. The credit union later became the Hampton University Employees Federal Credit Union, which merged in the late 1990s with Virginia Educators Credit Union, a now $56 million credit union headquartered in Newport News. He still serves the credit union on its volunteer Board of Directors.

"Anyone who has ever talked credit unions with Eugene Johnson knows the depth of his passion for the movement and for our unique philosophy," notes Rick Pillow, president of the Virginia Credit Union League, the statewide trade association serving Virginia's 185 credit unions. "I look back on the volunteers and professionals over the years who have helped shape Virginia's credit union system, and Eugene Johnson is among our founding fathers. This award only begins to touch on the debt of gratitude we owe him for his work over the years."

His passion for credit unions led him to serve in various positions with the Hampton Roads Chapter, a network of credit unions centered mostly on Virginia's Peninsula. In 1969, Johnson was appointed to the Virginia Credit Union League's Board of Directors, stepping into the role of Treasurer in 1972. At the time, he was the senior business and finance officer at what is now Hampton University.

He brought to the Board a deep understanding of not-for-profit finance, which would serve him well in the years ahead as the League worked to secure a critical dues increase.

Johnson was the first African-American to serve on the League Board, spending 15 years in service to Virginia's credit union system. His crowning achievement, he notes, was helping the League secure a somewhat contentious dues increase, a critical increase in fact, as the League worked to consolidate its own growing staff and off-shoot organizations under one roof.

Johnson paved the way for the increase by carrying his message directly to credit unions in all areas of the state. A powerful, impassioned speech at the League's Annual Meeting in 1978 helped carry the day, setting the stage for the Virginia Credit Union League's success for the next three decades.

"That 'People Helping People' philosophy, that's the heart and soul of credit unions, and the fuel that's driven me to be involved in credit unions all these years," says Johnson. "It's still powerful; it's still meaningful and it's still being practiced by credit unions today."

He still offers presentations on credit union philosophy and the development of the credit union system.

"In my mind, what makes credit unions so different is the fact that they put themselves in their members' shoes. When you put the best interests of the member first, you can't help but serve the best interests of the credit union, too."

The James P. Kirsch Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes those individuals who have unselfishly devoted their time and energy to ensuring a brighter, better future for credit unions. It is named in honor of the late James P. "Jimmy" Kirsch, a longtime credit union volunteer whose passion for the movement led him to leadership roles at the state, national and international levels.